Peterborough Council hoping to extend protection order at anti-social behaviour hotspot

A PSPO for gating the Kings Walk alleyway within the Park ward was implemented on November 2, 2022 following a rise in incidents such as street drinking, drug taking and general anti-social behaviour.

According to a council report, a total of 106 such incidents were reported to the authority occurring within the alleyway from November 2021 to April 2022.

The council is now looking to extend the PSPO at Kings Walk for another three years, with a public consultation underway from August 1 to August 28 for residents to give their views.

A council report for the consultation stated that the current PSPO for gating the alleyway was preventing the crime and anti-social behaviour from occurring.

It added: “The Sergeant of the Peterborough Eastern Neighbourhood Policing Team has advised that the PSPO for gating the alleyway has provided an excellent tool in tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour that had previously occurred within the alleyway.

“A review of recent calls for service identified that there have been zero calls for service to the police relating to the alleyway.”

Despite this, the report also stated that two households adjacent to the alleway had still seen incidents of ASB and crime and had experienced incidents directly at their properties.

It added that, within the vicinity of the Kings Walk alleyway, there were 386 crime and ASB incidents recorded for the period May 2024 to April 2025, 87 of which were in close proximity to the alleyway.

Peterborough City Council will now consult with the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary to extend the PSPO.

The local Neighbourhood Policing Team and the council’s Public Rights of Way officer from the highways service have already been informally consulted on the proposal and were supportive, according to the authority.

An extension of the PSPO would continue to prohibit the public right of way at all times at either end of the alleyway, except for the people who live there.

A person found guilty of breaching the order is liable to a fine or fixed penalty notice of up to £100.

Members of the public can access the consultation on the council’s website and it is also available to view at the Town Hall on Bridge Street.